1st Independent Company (Australia)
No.1 Independent Company | |
---|---|
Active | 1941–1942 |
Country | Australia |
Branch | Australian Army |
Type | Independent Company and later Commando |
Role | Irregular warfare |
Size | 17 officers, 256 other ranks[1] |
Double diamonds | Dark green |
Engagements | World War II |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Major James Edmonds-Wilson[2] |
Insignia | |
Unit colour patch |
The 1st Independent Company was one of twelve independent or commando companies raised by the Australian Army for service in World War II. Raised in 1941, No. 1 Independent Company served in New Ireland, New Britain and New Guinea in the early stages of the war in the Pacific, taking part in a major commando raid on Salamaua in June 1942. Having lost a large number of men captured by the enemy as well as a number of battle casualties, the company was withdrawn from New Britain later in 1942. The company was subsequently disbanded, with its surviving members being transferred to other commando units, and it was never re-raised.
History
No. 1 Independent Company was formed in May/June 1941 and was trained at the No. 7 Infantry Training Centre at
Commanded by Major James Edmonds-Wilson, in the event of an invasion of New Britain by the Japanese the 1st Independent Company was under orders to resist long enough to destroy key airfields and other military installations such as fuel dumps, before withdrawing south to wage a guerrilla war.[5] They did not have to wait very long, as on 21 January 1942, a preparatory bombing raid by about sixty Japanese aircraft attacked Kavieng. A number of aircraft were shot down, however, the company's only means of escape, the schooner Induna Star, was damaged.[5] Nevertheless, despite the damage the crew managed to sail the vessel to Kaut where they started to repair the damage. As they did so, the commandos withdrew across the island to Sook, having received word that a large Japanese naval force was approaching the island.[5]
In the early morning of 22 January 1942, the Japanese landed at Kavieng with between 3,000 and 4,000 troops. As the lead Japanese troops reached Kavieng airfield, fighting broke out as the small force that had remained at the airfield blew up the supply dump and other facilities.[5] Fighting their way out, the commandos withdrew towards the main force at Sook, although a number of men were captured in the process. Once the company had regrouped at Sook, on 28 January they withdrew further south to Kaut, where they helped with the repair of the Induna Star, before setting out along the east coast of the island.[5] They reached Kalili Harbour on 31 January but after learning that the fighting on New Britain was over and that the Japanese had occupied Rabaul, it was decided to sail for Port Moresby.[5]
On 2 February the schooner was sighted by a Japanese plane which subsequently attacked, causing considerable damage to the vessel as well as destroying one of its lifeboats and causing a number of casualties.
After a few months at Rabaul, the officers were separated from their
Meanwhile, the sections of the company that had not been with the main group at Kavieng managed to avoid capture by the Japanese. Working with the
Throughout the course of the unit's existence, it suffered 142 men killed in action or died while prisoners of war. One member of the company was awarded the Military Cross.[5]
Post-war have been many names such as the 1st Independent Company, 2/1st Independent Company or 2/1st Commando Squadron and these are all incorrect. All official records, less some personnel files of members, only refer to No.1 Independent Company. In personnel files this error is usually entered into the record will after the unit had disbanded and all other companies had been renamed to include the 2nd AIF identity of the prefix 2. The Unit War diary and official documents of the day only ever refer to No.1 Independent Company or 1 AIC (Australian Independent Company).
Structure
With an authorised strength of 17 officers and 256 other ranks, No.1 Independent Company was composed of a company headquarters consisting of 13 personnel, three 60-man platoons named A, B and C, each of three 19-man sections numbered in series from 1 to 9, plus an engineer section of 21 men, a 34-man signals section, a medical section of six men and a transport section with four men. The company was commanded by a major, with a captain as a second-in-command. Each platoon was also commanded by a captain, while all sections except the medical and transport sections were commanded by lieutenants. The medical section was commanded by a captain.[12][13]
Notes
- ^ a b Horner 1989, p. 22
- ^ a b L, Klemen (1999–2000). "Australian First Independent Company, 1942". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941–1942. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
- ^ McCarthy 1959, p. 85
- ^ Horner 1989, p. 23
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "1st Independent Company". Second World War, 1939–1945 units. Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008. Retrieved 20 March 2009.
- ^ McCarthy 1959, p. 39
- ^ L, Klemen (1999–2000). "Medical Patrol on Manus Island, 1941". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941–1942. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
- ^ a b c McCarthy 1959, pp. 84–107
- ^ a b McNab 1998, p. 214.
- ^ a b Bradley 2008, p. 16
- ^ McNab 1998, pp. 215–216.
- ^ McNab 1998, p. 4.
- ^ L, Klemen (1999–2000). "Structure of an Australian Independent Company, 1942". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941–1942. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
References
- ISBN 978-0-521-89681-8.
- ISBN 1-86373-007-9.
- McCarthy, Dudley (1959). South–West Pacific Area – First Year: Kokoda to Wau. Australia in the War of 1949–1945 Official History Series. Series 1—Army. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: Australian War Memorial. OCLC 3134247.
- McNab, Alexander (1998). We Were the First: The Unit History of No. 1 Independent Company. Loftus, New South Wales: Australian Military History Publications. ISBN 978-0-9586693-8-2.
External links
- Dunn, Peter. "1 Independent Company". OzatWar website. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
- L, Klemen (2000). "Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941–1942". Retrieved 28 March 2021.
- L., Klemen (1999–2000). "Admiralty Islands in 1942 – "We were first!": Unit History of Australian No.1 Independent Company". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941–1942. Retrieved 5 June 2011.